DaddyScratchStuck
by BlindMediaProductions
Summary: What would happen if Doc Scratch took in more than just the Handmaid after her time was up? What if he took in three young trolls, two mutant bloods who would never survive on their own and a third Highblood who refused to be left behind? If he did there would be chaos, but it's all towards a purpose that this omniscient being can see...Isn't it?
1. Chapter 1: Sibling Rivalry

A/N - This story came about because a friend and I had a crack conversation about a comic and decided to jump in with some fantrolls. It was started in September 2011, not too long before the 'Cascade' update to Homestuck, so anything that happened or was revealed in the comic after that point that might refute anything in this story does not apply. We did the best with what we had at the time, simple as that. Also, this is slightly AU to some extent so please just try to ignore the super crack-ish parts and enjoy.

~Anica

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Things were calm around the manor, as was expected of such a lazy late afternoon. Doc Scratch was in the kitchen making dinner for the three small trolls he was raising. Two young mutant girls and a Highblood boy, none of whom got along very well due to differing personalities. Yet for now they were leaving one another alone, thankfully. Rekera was curled up on the couch in the living room playing some game on a handheld system he had gotten for her after much begging, Illana was presumably in her room staying out of the way of the other two and Rinkou was playing with his small winged snake, a creature he had affectionately dubbed Emil.

Such a peace was not to last, however, as Rinkou left his bedroom and wandered downstairs into the living room. Spotting the black blooded girl he meandered over to the couch and flopped down on the other end of it, staring at her for a few seconds before speaking.

"What'cha doin Rekera?" He asked in an inquisitive tone, moving closer to try and see what game she was playing.

"Nothing." Came the halfhearted reply, the girl too lost in her game to care about what the boy wanted.

"Really? Come on, I'm bored." Rinkou picked up a pillow and tossed it at her with a laugh, hoping she would put the game down and play with him.

"Hey. Leave me alone!" Rekera tossed the pillow back at him and tried to refocus on her game, but that proved difficult as Rinkou smacked her with the pillow.

"But I'm bored and Doc isss busssy making dinner ssso he won't play with me." He hissed, smacking her again in hopes of knocking the system out of her hands and forcing her to take action.

"Ow! Stop it!" Rekera snarled, trying to reach for the pillow only to sink back into her original position as Rinkou pulled it away from her.

"H-Hey...P-Please don't fight..." Illana stood in the hallway that led to the upstairs, hugging her turtle plushie tightly as she watched the two.

"We're not fighting, we're playing." Rinkou said with a laugh as he gently tossed the pillow at Illana.

Glad that she was no longer involved in the 'fight' Rekera went back to her game, ignoring the shy troll as she moved away to avoid being hit with the pillow that had been thrown at her. It wasn't her place to get involved, and if Illana didn't stand up for herself Rinkou would just keep bullying her.

"Awww, you two are no fun." Rinkou pouted as he crossed his arms and looked out the window at the green city beyond. It was all the three had ever known, even being nearly three solar sweeps old, and their home world of Alternia sat in the distance as a giant gray blob that always seemed to raise curiosity in the young male troll.

Doc Scratch had told them some things about Alternia before when they had asked, and it was enough for Rinkou to put together that the two girls were not normal and probably would not have survived long if they had been left on the planet. It made sense why Doc had taken them, then, but why he had taken Rinkou as well was a question that remained unanswered, especially since the boy also knew from raiding various notes and papers in their 'fathers' office with the help of Emil that with the color of his blood he would be considered royalty among the trolls. He had asked in the past too, but the strange man had always found ways to get around giving him a proper answer to the question.

Speaking of their guardian, he stuck his head into the living room from the kitchen before addressing the children.

"Kids, dinner time. Come wash up." He disappeared just as quickly as he had shown himself, knowing the children would come along in a few seconds.

"Yay!" Rinkou rushed into the kitchen and was the first one to reach the sink, standing on a stool to wash his hands before moving to make room for Illana as she put Meelo down and followed suit.

"Finally." Rekera walked into the kitchen with her head still stuck in her game and sat down at her seat without washing her hands which seemed to go unnoticed for the time being.

"So, does anyone want to go out tomorrow?" Doc asked, knowing it wasn't any good for the kids to stay holed up in the mansion all the time.

"Ohh, I do!" Rinkou said excitedly as he took his seat. "Can we go to the zoo?"

"Rekera, Illana, what do you want to do?" Doc looked at the two girls, knowing he couldn't let Rinkou have all the say in things.

"I wanna see a movie." Rekera piped up, never once looking away from the screen of her game.

Illana said nothing, she just stared down at her lap with her ear fins drooping as if she wanted to but was too afraid.

"Rekera, put your game down and wash your hands or you are not eating." Doc reprimanded the girl, tapping his foot on the kitchen floor.

"Busssted." Rinkou giggled.

"And you be quiet young man." Doc shot back, watching as Rekera put her game down on the table and walked over to the sink to do as she was told.

"Busted." She mocked, sticking her tongue out at Rinkou as she returned to the table.

"Now now, I know I have taught you all better than that. Don't sink to his level, Rekera." Doc walked over to the oven and grabbed a pan full of lasagna, starting to dish it out to the kids along with some garlic bread.

"Ssso, can we go to the zoo tomorrow?" Rinkou was almost begging as he looked up at Doc Scratch, eyes wide and a small pout on his face.

"Well, how about we do both? We can see a movie in the morning and then go to the zoo in the afternoon, that way the animals will be awake and you can see them better. Sound good?" He was trying to appease everyone, though if that failed there was always the option of spreading the activities out over the course of the next few days as well.

"I'm alright with that!" Rinkou bounced in his seat smiling because he had more or less gotten his way.

"Sounds good to me." Rekera had returned to the table by that time, picking her game back up and making no further comments.

Illana, on the other hand, looked down at her lap as usual and seemed to be not quite as okay with the situation as the other two but too frightened to say anything. It was a good enough plan, but she really wanted to do something else.

"Rekera, stop playing that game. Put it down for dinner or I will take it from you." Doc scolded the girl, then turned his attention to Illana and knelt down beside her chair so he was more at eye level with her. "What's the matter dear? Are you not content with the plans for tomorrow? It's okay, you can speak up." He was trying to encourage her to be more outgoing, hoping that she would speak her mind instead of keeping what she wanted to say inside like she normally did.

"Nothing'sss the matter, ssshe'sss jussst dumb." Rinkou mumbled, one part of his lip curling up in obvious distaste for the shy girl.

"Rin, don't say such things. One more comment like that and you're in your room for the rest of the night, do I make myself clear?" Doc wasn't going to tolerate that kind of treatment, especially when it would only serve to make Illana worse.

"Yesss Doc." Rinkou sighed, folding his arms on the table and putting his head on them while Doc Scratch talked to Illana.

"Good. Now then, Illana, what's on your mind? Go on, you can say whatever you want." Doc reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder to encourage her to speak, noting out of the corner of his vision that Rekera finally put her game away so as not to get caught playing it further.

"W-Well...T-Tomorrow I...I kinda wanna go swimming...B-But..." Illana hid her face in her plush toy, her ear fins drooping as she curled in on herself like always.

"Swimming huh? Well I think we can fit that in, the pool isn't too far from the zoo." If he could have Doc would have smiled to reassure her, but instead he reached out and ruffled the girl's hair gently to let her know everything was alright.

"I don't wanna go ssswimming, it'sss too cold out. Besssidesss, I don't sssee why the mutant getsss a sssay." Rinkou glared at Illana, the words far more harsh than his usual teasing considering he knew how much the girl was ashamed of her blood color.

"Rin! Room, now. No dinner." That was going too far, and Doc Scratch stood as he pointed at the door to the hallway in a very displeased manner. A little teasing was fine, even normal for young trolls, but Rinkou was getting far too violent way too fast and something had to be done if he was to grow up different from those back on Alternia.

"Fine." Rin pulled his chair out and left it that way as he stormed off up to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

"I swear, that boy is a handful. I am going to go have a talk with him, you girls eat your dinner okay?" Doc shook his head and sighed before walking off towards Rinkou's room to have a long chat with the young man about his behavior.

"I-I'm sorry..." Illana sniffled, burying her face in her turtle and looking so distraught that Rinkou had gotten into trouble because of her.

"Illana, it's not your fault." Rekera comforted as best she knew how from across the table. "Now come on, eat before it gets cold." Knowing the girl would listen she picked up her own fork and began to dig in.


	2. Chapter 2: Nightmares

By the time Doc returned to the kitchen the girls were still only half done with dinner but there was something in his posture that spoke of disappointment and possibly even regret. However he remained composed as always before starting to clean up from having made dinner for the children.

"Rin will be staying home tomorrow as punishment for his behavior. We will go see a movie in the morning and go to the beach afterwards to swim. Sound alright to everyone?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at the two young trolls.

"That's okay with me." Rekera answered before putting another forkful of lasagna in her mouth. Illana said nothing as usual but just nodded gently, sniffling a little since she still felt bad about having gotten Rin into trouble.

"Good." Doc replied, going back to cleaning up. "Finish your dinner girls, and then you can do what you like until bedtime."

"Yessir!" With a mouth half full of food Rekera's reply came out a little slurred but it was good enough for Doc as he finished up and turned to watch them both until they were finished. At that point he moved in to clean up the leftovers, always swift on the cleaning since he liked his home to appear as neat as possible at all times.

"Now you may play your game, Rekera. And leave Rin alone, he's being punished for what he said earlier." Doc walked over to the sink to put the dishes in the bubbly water, watching out of the corner of his vision as Rekera jumped off her chair and grabbed her game from the table.

"Thanks Doc." And with that she ran off into the living room, plopping over on the couch amid the pillows to go back into whatever little game she had going on her handheld system.

Illana, however, was not so quick to leave. Instead she sat in her seat for a few moments longer, sniffling and wiping a few tears away from her eyes with the back of her hand before hopping down and walking over to Doc Scratch. He noticed, of course, but did nothing until she pulled on his pant leg to get his attention. At that point he turned his attention to her for a brief moment before kneeling down so he was more level with her.

"Yes dear, what is it?" He asked, tilting his rounded head to one side as the girl spoke with her usual stutter.

"C-Can I help?" Illana asked, pointing up at the dishes as her eyes widened and tears pricked at the corners of the yellow space. She looked adorable like that, and not that Doc would ever say no to her but if he had even been considering the thought it was long gone once that expression showed up on the young troll's face.

"Of course you can. Here." Putting his arms around her waist Doc lifted Illana onto the counter and set her down so that her feet were dangling over the edge. Reaching over he handed her the dish towel, moving a few inches to the side so he stood in front of the sink and could wash the dishes. "Think you can dry them off and stack them for me?" He asked, looking sideways at Illana as she nodded.

"S-Sure!" Came the excited response as Illana set Meelo down behind her and waited for the first dish to come her way.

It took a little while but in due time the scent of dish soap and the crackling of popping bubbles gave way to clean dishes as Doc rinsed each one off and scrubbed it with a small brush before handing it to Illana who dried each one without fail and set them in nice neat stacks on the counter space beside her. Eventually they were all finished and Doc helped Illana off the counter before handing Meelo to her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder to urge her towards the living room.

"Thank you for your help, Illana. Now, go play alright? I will be there as soon as I put the dishes away." The cabinets were too high for her to reach them and it would only take a few moments to put everything back in its proper place so Doc ushered the small troll girl into the adjacent living room and began to place the plates and silverware back in their proper place once she had taken a few steps in that direction.

Illana nodded and walked into the living room, sitting in a corner near the couch and playing absently with Meelo while Rekera sat among the pillows with her game. It was business as usual until Doc returned, sitting down on the couch next to Rekera and patting the empty space on the other side as a signal for Illana to come sit there.

"You girls want to watch a movie or something?" He asked, reaching for the remote on the nearby glass table so he could turn the television on.

"Sure, let me beat this boss." Rekera smirked gently, smashing a few extra buttons as if that would make the game go that much faster.

"H-Huh? O-Oh, um...S-Sure..." Illana muttered as she got up from her spot in the corner and jumped up onto the couch to snuggle next to Doc Scratch.

"So, what will it be girls?" He asked, absently flipping channels with the television on mute so the annoying conversations of whatever it was currently showing would not overwhelm the room and outvoice the trolls.

"Hmm, I don't know. How about The Princess and the Frog?" Rekera inquired as she shut her game off and tucked it away in a safe place where she could retrieve it later just as a bird-like creature came flying into the room and snuggled up to the young girl. Had it been bigger it might have been rideable since its legs were far too long for its body and its neck elongated almost like that of an ostrich but with feathers covering its length. However for the time being it was about the size of a house cat which was perfect for Rekera as she put her arms around its fluffy body and looked up at Doc to wait for an answer since there had been no objection from Illana about the movie suggestion.

"The Princess and the Frog huh? Well alright then." Doc obliged by flipping a few more channels until he found the movies and the one that had been requested, turning it on before setting the remote down. He had dimmed the lights on his way in so the room was now dark save for the illumination coming off the television screen, which was perfect for watching the movie.

It was hard not to notice the subtle things in the movie that the girls loved. Rekera seemed to just generally be enjoying herself during its length while Illana quietly whispered the lines of the main character as if she had seen the movie a hundred times before while the three of them plus the small bird creature snuggled together on the couch. Yet all good things had to come to an end and so they did, the credits rolling as Doc Scratch moved to stretch himself out after sitting in one place for the entirety of the movie.

"Well that was entertaining, wasn't it? Now girls, it's bedtime. Go upstairs and get ready." His words were directed at both girls but only Illana answered with her usual nod of the head before running off. Somewhere during the course of the movie Rekera had fallen asleep with Alanze in her lap, the bird looking up at Doc as if begging him not to wake her.

Not that the man could, Rekera looked so peaceful when she slept so instead he gently lifted her up off the couch and let Alanze follow after him as he took the young troll to her bedroom and tucked her into bed. Her clothing wasn't that restricting anyway since they hadn't gone anywhere that day so she would be fine sleeping as she was and Doc left the room to check on Illana, shutting the door gently behind himself. The aqua blooded girl was still brushing her teeth so Doc let her finish and went to check on Rin instead. He found the boy already asleep, cuddled up close to the small winged snake he called Emil that was more or less the same to him as Alanze was to Rekera, and with that finished he went back to Illana's room to tuck her in.

The girl was already waiting for him, dressed in her turtle pajamas and holding Meelo tightly as she sat on the edge of her bed. She crawled under the sheets as Doc entered, the man pulling them up around her so she would feel more secure.

"Good night, little Illana." He spoke the words softly, leaning down so that his forehead touched hers in a gesture of a parent giving a kiss to their child before bedtime. It was the best he could do given that he had no mouth, and since the girls knew nothing else it was good enough for them.

"G-Good night." Illana whispered back, rolling over to face the wall and hugging Meelo tightly as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Doc himself was not very tired yet and thus went back down to the first floor, turning the television back on and flipping to some other stuff he could watch while the kids were asleep. He was just starting to drift off when footsteps caught his attention and he looked back towards the stairs only to find Illana standing at the bottom clutching Meelo tightly and looking as if she were about to cry while her body shook with what was obviously fear.

"What's the matter dear?" He asked, an obvious tone of worry in his voice.

"I-I had a bad dream..." Illana whimpered, burying her face in her doll as she stood there.

Doc patted the couch and waited until Illana ran over to hug the small girl close as an assurance that whatever her dream had been about it was just that – a dream. "Now then, what was your nightmare all about?" He asked, concerned that perhaps it had to do with what Rin had said earlier that day.

"T-There were a lot of trolls I've never seen before...A-And they were all Highbloods...A-And..." Illana stopped for a moment, sniffling and shaking and just generally trying to compose herself a little more. "T-They were all making fun of me...F-For my blood color." She managed, looking up at Doc with teary eyes as she tried not to cry.

"Shhh, it's alright Illana. It was just a bad dream, nothing more. Remember, you are safe as long as you are here and you never have to worry about blood color meaning anything, alright?" He tried to reassure her, but it seemed there was still a natural tendency for a mutant blood like her to be afraid of other trolls, especially those who would likely have been the ones to kill her had he not taken the small grub from her home planet of Alternia when he did.

"B-But Rin...H-He..." Illana sniffled, but this time Doc was quicker to silence her with a single finger pressed to her lips.

"Don't worry about what Rin says. You three are all children, and teasing one another is part of being a child. He went too far and he's being punished, you don't have to be afraid of him." The man held her closer, noticing her ear fins starting to droop as she sat there. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't we watch another movie, hm? Something with a happy ending." It was late and way past bed time, but Doc knew if he sent Illana back to bed she would just have another nightmare or worse so this was a much better solution.

Illana nodded and Doc was quick to find a movie that he knew would comfort her before he settled down to watch and wait. About halfway through Illana had fallen asleep again, and a few moments later Doc had turned the tv off and carried her up to bed as well, tucking her back under the sheets.

"Sweet dreams, my little one." He whispered before walking away, hoping that the rest of her dreams would be peaceful and making a note to check in on Rin and Rekera to make sure they were sleeping soundly as well with no signs of nightmares before he finally turned in for the night in his own bedroom and hoped that come the morning he would not hear of more bad dreams.


	3. Chapter 3: Runaway

As usual Doc was up before the kids, enjoying the slight bit of time to himself as he pulled out the proper ingredients and began to cook breakfast for all of them. Just as he was finishing up Rin wandered in, still in his pajamas and still clearly tired as he held the sleeping snake creature he called Emil in his arms.

"Good morning, Doc." Rin said sleepily, rubbing at his eyes to try and wake up a little more.

"Good morning Rin." Doc replied with a slight bit of happiness in his voice. "Are the girls up yet?" He turned his head towards Rin, wondering if he'd seen the pair of girls on the way down.

"How ssshould I know?" Rin hissed, shrugging as Emil yawned before slithering up to drape around the boy's neck before falling back to sleep.

"Well go see, will you?" It was phrased like a question but Rin knew it was more of an order and he grumbled something under his breath before walking off to go check on Rekera and Illana.

The latter of the pair was still asleep when Rin opened the door, not at all being subtle about it as he walked over to her bed and put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her with very little restraint.

"Hey, get up. Doc sssaysss breakfassst isss almossst ready." The boy gave one last shove before taking a step back, smiling to himself as Illana cried out in surprise before sitting up and whimpering. "I sssaid get up, it'sss breakfassst time." Rin glared at the girl, clearly taking his own anger from the previous day out on her.

"A-Alright..." Illana squeaked out, getting out of bed and hugging Meelo tightly as she tried not to look at Rin for fear of him yelling at her further.

"Go downssstairsss, I have to wake Rekera." Rin rolled his eyes, still astonished at what a sissy Illana was. Then he watched her ear fins droop before she shuffled out of the room to head downstairs into the kitchen just as she was told to do.

That done Rin shut Illana's door and walked to the one across the hall, pounding on it heavily. He knew better than to walk in on Rekera, she was likely to hit him and start a fight or worse run to Doc with some bogus complaint that would get him in further trouble.

"Oi, get up Rekera! It'sss breakfassst time!" He shouted through the door, giving it one more good pound before backing off in anticipation for the door being thrown open and and angry Rekera yelling at him. However there wasn't an answer, not even so much as a sound of anyone moving within, so Rin stepped back to the door and hit it harder with his fist. "Rekera get up!" He shouted again, a little louder this time in hopes that she would answer him this time around.

There was still no answer, however, so Rin finally sighed and opened the door to Rekera's room and poked his head inside. There was a lump under her sheets so Rin assumed she was still sleeping, shaking his head as he walked over and put a hand on Rekera's shoulder to shake her.

"Geeze, how hard to you sssleep girl?" He muttered, giving her shoulder a rough shove. "Wake up Rekera, breakfassst." Rin narrowed his eyes, ready to punch her in case she still didn't wake up after all that.

Suddenly Rekera lept out from under the sheets with a high pitched scream, knocking Rin to the floor and causing the boy let out his own scream of surprise as he struggled for a moment before his brain wrapped itself around what had happened. Falling still, he glared up at the black blooded troll and growled. Emil, who had been thrown clear of Rin's shoulders in the sudden jump, also hissed at Rekera and flared his wings in hopes that it would do some good.

"Get off me!" She had his arms pinned down and her legs straddling his hips so he couldn't get a good angle to kick her at, leaving a verbal command his only way of getting her to let go.

"I'd like to see you try and make me." Rekera teased, putting a little more weight on his arms just in case he was thinking of trying to wiggle free and push her off.

"I sssaid get off of me you black blooded bitch!" Rin snarled, sitting up as Rekera finally let him go. The smile on her face, however, hinted that it wasn't because he'd told her to.

"You used a bad word. I'm gonna tell Doc!" She threatened. Rin, however, just shrugged and dusted himself off before walking towards her door.

"Go ahead, tell him. I'll be sssure to sssay that you ssstarted it, though." He stuck his tongue out at her and walked off, intent to head downstairs calmly and hope that Rekera wouldn't tell Doc so there would be no more trouble for either of them.

Rekera, however, had other plans and raced out of the room with Alanze hot on her heels. Rin ran after her once she had gone past him, both sliding into the kitchen at the same time but both also silenced as Doc held up a hand in a silent order that they should not speak.

"Rekera, you should know better than to antagonize Rin and tackling him was completely unnecessary. However, even given those circumstances name calling was uncalled for Rin, especially the use of a swear word. I know I have raised both of you better than that." Doc said calmly, already knowing what had transpired.

"B-B-But...He started it!" Rekera blurted out, pointing angrily at Rin. "He was shaking me!" She added hastily.

"But he wouldn't have had to if you had answered when he knocked on your door." Doc replied.

"Yeah, you ssshould have anssswered when I knocked!" Rin glared at Rekera, intent to blame the entire thing on her.

"That does not excuse your actions either, young man. You are confined to your room for the rest of the day, am I understood?" The tone in Doc's voice wasn't harsh but there was a hint of anger there that made Rin flinch before putting his head down.

"Yes Doc." He answered in almost a whisper, though he knew Doc would hear him.

"I was just trying to get back at him for being mean to Illana..." Rekera mumbled, looking at the aqua blooded girl who had been watching the entire thing from a chair at the kitchen table in silence.

"Revenge is never the answer, Rekera, and neither is violence." Doc scolded her gently, though the worry was obvious in his voice this time. Worry more that he hadn't raised them as right as he thought than anything else, though the kids wouldn't yet know the reason why.

Rin glared at Illana but said nothing as he took a seat at the table for breakfast. Rekera was right behind him, mumbling a short apology to Doc before sitting down. Doc nodded to acknowledge this apology before starting to put some pancakes on the kids plates.

"Now that we're all getting along, let's eat before it all gets cold." Doc tried to lighten up the atmosphere, though the tension was still obvious.

Rin ate in silence to keep himself from further trouble, and Rekera followed suit as she fed Alanze little bits of pancake here and there. Illana whimpered as she sensed the tension still heavy in the air and ate very little, trying to avoid eye contact with both Rekera and Rin for the time being.

Once breakfast was done Doc picked up the dishes as usual and put them in the sink, turning to the kids as they left their seats. "Girls, go get dressed. It's a nice day so don't dress too warmly." Their swimsuits were in a bag and they could change in the locker rooms near the water when they got there, Doc making a mental note to grab said bag before they left. "And Rin, go straight to your room. Now." It wasn't so much an afterthought as it was Doc catching the boy trying to sneak off into another part of the house, no doubt to hide out until they left so the maid would think he was in his room and leave him alone while he played around where she couldn't hear him.

"Yes Doc." Rin sighed, dragging his feet as he walked upstairs and slammed the door to his bedroom.

The girls weren't far behind, dressing quickly and eager to get out of the house for a while. Rekera wore boy shorts and a tanktop in her signature black while Illana had on a beautiful light blue sundress and her cloak with the clasp done up so she didn't have to wear the hood. Doc had done the dishes and fetched the swimming bag he kept for the kids, offering a hand to each one that was taken with ease before the trio started to walk towards the door.

Just as Doc had let go of Rekera's hand to open it the green wood swung open seemingly on its own, revealing the maid who stood on the other side. She was tall and slim, with green skin and garb just like all the other members of the Felt who lived on the moon and inhabited the city. She blinked for a moment before stepping inside as Doc beckoned her to do so.

"Good, you're here. Rin is home, he's in his room being punished for saying mean things to Illana. Make sure he stays there, his lunch is in the fridge. We should be back before dinner." Doc nodded to the woman who nodded in return before they both went their separate ways.

The day was indeed a beautiful one, warm as the same sun that shone down upon the trolls home planet of Alternia lighting the green city while they walked its streets. In a true fatherly fashion Doc warned both girls not to look to the sky, explaining as they walked that the sun would blind them if they did so. Thankfully the windows of the mansion were lined to prevent the harmful rays that caused the blindness, so he felt the need to give them a reminder now that they were outside for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Eventually the trio reached the small theater just a few blocks from the mansion and Doc hurried the girls inside so they could see the movie that had begun only a few moments earlier. Something nice for the kids that he only half paid any attention too, his mind wandering to other things for its duration. Once it was all over Doc escorted them further to the large swimming pool. It was safer than the beach, and the enclosed space would be easier to monitor as well.

Trusting the girls to stick together he allowed them to go into the locker room without him, the strange man opting to wait in a chair by the pool instead. Soon enough both girls emerged in their bathing suits, both one pieces in their respective colors, and before long they were jumping into the warm water and playing easily with one another and the few other people milling about the pool area.

Lunch was served poolside as Doc snagged something from the small shop across the street, and time seemed to fly by as he watched the girls play. Soon enough he was dragging them out of the water and telling them to get dry and change back into their clothes so they could go home for dinner.

Once they returned to the mansion Rekera flopped over on the couch and yawned, though Illana kept a hold of his hand, almost as if she were afraid to let go.

"So, did you girls have fun today?" Doc asked, though it almost wasn't necessary as Rekera answered him with a quick 'yup' and Illana nodded as usual. "Good. What do you want for dinner?" Rin wouldn't get a say in it as another piece of his punishment, but the boy wasn't picky about his food either so Doc knew he'd eat just about anything they chose.

"I want pizza!" Rekera piped up from her place on the couch.

"That sound alright to you dear?" Doc asked as he looked down at Illana, watching as she nodded but still refused to let go of his hand. Rin would be fine for a while, so Doc headed to the kitchen with Illana and stopped in the doorway when she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"C-Can I help you make dinner?" She asked in her usual soft tone of voice, nervous as always, clinging tighter than ever to Doc's hand.

"Of course you can dear. How about you get the tomato sauce and cheese for me?" He asked, watching Illana as she seemed to stop for a moment.

Part of her didn't want to let go. She was almost afraid that if she did everything happy that had happened in the past hours would suddenly loose its meaning. She was afraid the moment her hand separated from his there would be no more smiling, no more joy, and all the world would come crashing down around her. Yet eventually she did let go, uncurling her fingers gently but still feeling Doc gripping her hand until at last he loosened his grip and she slipped away of her own accord to fetch the things he has asked for.

Doc preheated the oven and had Illana help him make and top the pizza before he popped the whole ensemble with some breadsticks in the oven before reaching out to take Illana's hand again. He had seen the internal struggle in her eyes before she let go and decided it would be best to give her the comfort of bringing back that happiness, even if itw as only for a few moments while they walked back into the living room.

"Alright, now we just have to wait for it all to bake. Come on, let's go see what your sister is up to." He led the other girl back into the living room, finding Rekera sitting with her feet on the couch and her head on the floor, essentially being upside down while she played her game. "You know Rekera, if you keep sitting like that all your blood will rush to your head and start leaking out of your ears. And if you don't put that game down every once in a while your eyes will go bad." He walked over and sat down next to her feet, helping Illana up while Rekera flipped herself over.

"My eyes are already bad, though." She teased, pushing her glasses a little further up to fix them.

"Then you'll go blind." Doc retorted, looking at the girl with a small laugh.

"Whatever." Rekera shrugged, then looked up at Illana. "Hey Illana, wanna roleplay with me?" She asked, giving the sea dweller a toothy smile.

"S-Sure!" Illana became excited for a moment, but Doc was quick to squelch it.

"You two can play after dinner. And drag Rin with you, he needs to get out of his room." He didn't want them getting hurt before dinner or wearing one another out and falling asleep at the table.

"Aww, okay..." Rekera put her head back in her game, trying to kill time until dinner was ready.

"Say that again when one of you falls down and breaks something or hits someone else a little too hard." Doc scolded her again, allowing the following silence to settle in while she played her game and Illana gently played with Meelo to pass time. Before long the timer was going off and Doc stood up, brushing his pants off and walking towards the kitchen to silence the beeping.

"Well, that's dinner. Go get Rin please girls, and remember to wash up before you sit down at the table." Doc walked into the kitchen as both girls went upstairs to knock on Rin's door and try to get him to come down to dinner.

"Hey Rin, dinner time!" Rekera called over her pounding, though there was no answer.

"R-Rin...?" Illana clung to Rekera, hoping that Rin was just playing with them.

There was still no answer, so Rekera opened the door and poked her head inside. There was no sign of Rin or Emil, and nothing to indicate they'd been there most of the day. In fact one of the windows was open and the bed sheets tied together leading to the ground below.

"Rin? Come on this isn't funny!" Rekera called through the room, hoping that this was just an elaborate prank. But still she went unanswered, and the girl's eyes widened before she bolted off downstairs and slid into the kitchen. "Doc, Rin's gone!" She shouted, clearly freaked out.

"Are you sure? Come on, let's go check together, maybe he's just hiding in his closet or something." Doc knew Rekera wouldn't be so panicked if she wasn't totally sure, but he didn't want to cause further distress and walked calmly with Rekera back to Rin's bedroom, Illana still standing in the doorway and clinging to Meelo as she looked about to cry.

"See, he's not here!" Rekera bit her lip as she looked around the room, still panicked as she ran back and clung to Doc.

"Oh dear, it seems he really is gone. Well, he can't have gotten far that's for sure. Come on girls, let's go eat dinner. I will make some phone calls and see if anyone has seen him or picked him up." Picking Illana up, Doc walked back to the kitchen with Rekera right on his heels. Once they were both seated at the table he looked at them and sighed gently. "It's alright girls, he's out there somewhere. I know plenty of people who can look for him, we'll find him soon." He reassured them before walking off towards the phone to start calling.

"B-But what if something happens to him?" Illana fretted, hugging Meelo tightly.

"Don't worry Illana, Rin's tough and he can take care of himself. And if anyone can find him, Doc can." Rekera smiled at her sister, hoping that she would take comfort in the words before they both started eating and hoped that Doc would be able to find Rin.


	4. Chapter 4: Sick with Guilt

"Are you sure he hasn't been by?" Doc stood by the phone, using it as if he actually had ears to hear with and a mouth to speak with. "Yes well if you see him please detain him and call me right away...No, this isn't like him at all, he didn't just go out and not come home he actually ran away and no one knows where he's gone...Yes, tell the girls to look out too and do the same...Alright, thank you." He hung the phone back on its hook before turning back to the worried looking Rekera and Illana. "No one has seen him yet, but now that they know to look I'm sure it won't be long before someone finds him."

"H-Hopefully..." Illana hugged her turtle plushie, whimpering as she thought about Rin out all by himself in the city, especially now that it was getting dark out. Rekera put a hand on her shoulder for support, but it did little to soothe the girl's fears.

"Hey now, don't you girls worry. Go play, I'll do the dishes and keep an eye on the phone." They had wanted to do some roleplaying before dinner and he hoped that if they could get to it now perhaps it would take their minds off Rin. With that said Doc shooed the pair out into the living room and went to do the dishes.

"...R-Rekera?" Illana looked up at her sister as they both sat down on the couch, only her eyes visible above the head of the turtle doll.

"Yeah?" Rekera raised an eyebrow at Illana, wondering what she could want.

"C-Can we roleplay now?" The shy girl asked, uneasy given all that was going on.

"...Sure." Rekera smiled a little, glad that at least they could focus on something else other than Rin for a bit.

After some setup the girls had their regular scene going. Illana played both the kidnapped princess and the villain while Rekera took on the role of the valiant prince who would save her. There were minor characters here and there who helped in the adventure that both stopped for a few moments to play as, but overall they stuck to their main roles. Doc listened in on them from the kitchen while he did dishes then eventually went and sat in a chair near the living room phone so the girls could keep using the couch and other various removable cushions to build the 'tower' and keep on playing. Time passed and eventually the roleplay was drawing to an end, and despite the late hour Doc couldn't bring himself to put them to bed before the story had come to its end. No, given the circumstances he figured it was better that they get to stay up late a little and forget their cares for a bit.

"Finally, I have reached the tower where the dark Princes keeps the Maid prisoner!" Rekera held her toy sword high in triumph before kicking down the front cushion of the small tower they had built as if it was the door. Illana sat inside cowering in a corner, though the fear was fake and gone as soon as Rekera came in to 'save' her.

"S-Someone has come to save me!" She cried happily before standing and pulling a blanket up with her, tying it around her neck like a cape as she switched over to playing the evil Prince.

"W-Who would dare to come take this girl from me?" Her voice was deeper but not as serious as it could have been, though that was fine given the nature of their little game.

"I would! Have at you, Prince!" Rekera lunged and the two fell into a mock combat.

'Blows' were exchanged and eventually Rekera dealt the killing blow, so fake that it was adorable in its own way, and Illana fell to her knees before saying her final words as the Prince.

"I-I am slain! C-Curse you, hero of the Void!" She fell over, playing dead for a few moments before taking off the blanket cape and scrambling back to her corner to play the princess.

"O-Oh brave and noble Mage, you have saved me!" She stood, taking Rekera's hand as it was extended to her.

"Fear no more, fair Maid! The Prince is vanquished, and you are safe." They laughed and started to dance around like the children they were before collapsing on the cushions in a huge giggle fit.

Doc laughed too, standing and offering hands to help the girls to their feet. "Alright ladies, bedtime. You can play some more tomorrow."

"Awww." Rekera pouted, pulling herself up with Doc's help and giving him puppy eyes.

"Hey, it's late and you two need to get some sleep. Come on now." He helped Illana up as well before putting a hand on the girls backs and giving them a tiny 'shove' towards the upstairs.

As soon as both girls were washed up and in their pajamas Doc tucked them in then went downstairs to put the couch cushions back in their proper places and watch the phone. It was late and he doubted anyone would call or even be looking given the late hour but he had to stay just in case, the young trolls were his children and while he couldn't just abandon Rekera and Illana to go looking for Rin he knew he had to do everything else to try and find the boy while at the same time having the confidence that he would be alright out there on his own for a bit.

The hours passed and Doc eventually dozed off on the couch, waking only as a horrible yet familiar feeling startled him from the dreamless slumber. The faint sound of someone heaving was enough to get him up off the couch and headed up the stairs to Rekera's room, where he found the girl sitting in her own vomit with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh my, you poor dear." Rekera looked up at Doc, not even aware he was nearby, and did nothing as he moved to brush her hair behind her ears so he could get a better look at her face.

Rekera coughed a few more times, shaking as if she would throw up again, so Doc reached over and picked her up gently and carried her to the bathroom. At least there she could get into some clean clothes and be close to the toilet just in case it wasn't a one time event.

"Sorry, D-Doc..." Rekera whimpered as she huddled on the floor, her body still shaking from the effects of vomiting the first time around.

"Don't apologize, Rekera. This isn't your fault, not at all." Helping as much as the young girl would let him Doc got Rekera into clean pajamas and balled the others up so he could transport them to the laundry room without getting it on everything else. "Stay here for a few minutes, alright? I want to check on Illana and put your sheets in the washer." She was in the best place for the moment, so Doc ruffled the black blood's hair before leaving to quickly get to his business then sit with his daughter until it all passed.

Once the washer was running with stained sheets and clothes Doc poked in on Illana, who thankfully was sleeping soundly. At least whatever had made Rekera sick seemed limited to her and hadn't passed on yet, and with that done he went back to the bathroom and sat down next to Rekera.

"Well your sister is alright. I will be here until this passes, okay Rekera?" If he could have given her a reassuring smile he would have, but instead Doc just reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. A few moments later Rekera puked again, this time thankfully getting it all into the toilet but not before she was crying again. Doc held her hair back until she was done then pulled her to his chest so that he could hug her. He was careful of any signs she might be sick again and rocked back and forth gently to soothe her until at last things seemed to have calmed down a little. Then he ran his fingers through her hair and just waited, eventually looking down at Rekera only to realize she'd fallen asleep like that.

Her ability to fall back asleep meant she was at least feeling somewhat better, so Doc stood carefully and picked her up as best he could without waking her. Thankfully Rekera remained fast asleep and he was able to transport her to his bed to sleep the rest of the night after he put a plastic cube on the floor nearby in case she woke up while he was away and needed to heave again. Heading back into the hall Doc found Alanze, Rekera's bird, chirping worriedly at the absence of her owner.

"It's fine little one, Rekera's in my room. Go be with her, she's not feeling well." The bird would understand his words, and indeed chirped happily in response before landing on Doc's shoulder to give him an affectionate nuzzle. That done she chirped again and was off to Doc's room to curl up next to Rekera and be there to support her while she was ill.

Thinking on it again Doc decided to poke in on Illana just to be sure she was alright and found her sitting up in her bed hugging Meelo tightly and with a look of worry all over her face.

"Hey, you alright sweetie?" He asked, moving to sit down next to her just in case she was feeling sick too.

"Y-Yeah...I-Is something wrong with Rekera?" Illana asked worriedly, big eyes full of ready to fall tears looking up at Doc over the stuffed doll.

"Your sister got a little sick, that's all. She'll be fine." Doc reached out and patted her on the head to give as much reassurance as he could.

"O-Oh no...I-Is she still awake?" Illana let a few tears slide, feeling upset that she hadn't noticed before that Rekera was sick.

"No, she's asleep in my room and Alanze is with her. Don't worry, I'm sure with some sleep she will be alright. Now then, go back to bed, it's late." Doc laid Illana back down and pulled the sheets up over her.

"...O-Okay..." Illana was still worried, but there wasn't much she could do except listen to Doc and try to go back to sleep.

"You'll see her in the morning, she should be better by then. Sleep well." He put his head against her forehead in much the same way a parent would kiss their child then went to check on Rekera.

The black blood was still fast asleep, so Doc went downstairs to sleep on the couch for the night and let Rekera have her rest so she could feel better. Illana was unable to sleep, however, and about an hour later went into Doc's room to check on Rekera. Finding her sister still asleep the sea dweller sat down on the bed next to her then eventually laid down and fell asleep herself.

At that point an odd silence settled over the house. The kind of silence one only gets to experience every once in a great while, when the world outside is quiet and everyone is sleeping soundly, lost to their own dream worlds as the night wears on and waits for the sun to rise and wake them. No one, however, could have predicted what the morning would bring with it or the effects it would have on all those who, for now, slept at peace with the world and themselves.


	5. Chapter 5: Abandoned Boy

When the morning came Illana was the first to wake, though it was not for very long. In fact, as soon as she had checked to make sure Rekera was alright the small girl curled up alongside her again and fell back into the depths of sleep.

Doc was the second to wake, and once finding that the girls were still fast asleep he began to make breakfast as usual. Rin was gone, but that didn't mean he could put down everything for the two who remained and not take care of them. The boy was stubborn, but he had never gotten into any serious trouble before and he would come home in his own time.

Before long breakfast was done, and Doc went upstairs to wake the girls. Finding that Illana was not in her room where he'd left her the night before he went to check his room where he'd left Rekera and found the two fast asleep together. It almost seemed wrong to wake them, they looked so peaceful and Rekera was even smiling gently, but he couldn't let them sleep all day so it was time to get them up.

"Girls, breakfast is ready." Doc's usually smooth voice echoed gently in the small space, and even though he wasn't speaking above a normal level it was enough that Rekera sat up and began to stretch, keeping the smile for just a few moments before it faded and her usual attitude set in.

"Morning Doc." She managed before her movement woke Illana, the sea dweller having a moment of panic before she remembered where she was and what was going on.

"O-Oh...G-Good morning." Illana studdered before sitting up.

"Good morning you two. Feeling better, Rekera?" Doc folded his arms behind his back and looked at Rekera, noticing that she looked far better than the night before.

"Yup!" Rekera wiggled out from under the sheets and stood, yawning as she reached for her glasses and slid them on.

"T-That's good." Illana was right behind Rekera on getting out of the bed, Meelo dragging on the ground behind her.

"Glad to hear it. Get dressed and come downstairs for breakfast, both of you." If Doc could have smiled he would have, but instead he simply left with his usual inhuman grace so that the girls could change in peace.

Rekera returned to her room quickly, though Illana was a little slower to follow, and before long both girls were dressed for the day. Rekera arrived in the kitchen first, Illana joining her a few moments later before climbing almost lethargically into her chair.

"What's for breakfast?" Rekera asked, either ignoring Illana's unusual behavior or not thinking much of it.

"Waffles, scrambled eggs and toast. Eat up girls." Doc was about to ask if Illana was alright, but before he could the phone began to ring and he left swiftly to answer it just in case it was someone calling about Rin.

After a few moments he returned, but since Illana seemed to be doing okay and eating well he decided not to worry too much about it. Instead he sighed and tried to push thoughts of the young boy away since there was no point in continuing to worry about him.

"I have some work to do today so you girls are on your own. Be good, alright?" He ruffled their hair, glad when Rekera smiled up at him.

"Got it Doc!" She kicked her feet happily, and Illana just hummed a slight response before going back to picking at her food.

"Excellent. I will see you both at lunch time." And with that he was off to his study to look over some things and keep an ear on the phone in case someone called with any information about Rin.

In the meantime, Illana didn't finish her breakfast and finally Rekera seemed to notice that something wasn't quite right with her sister.

"Hey Illana, you okay?" She asked, pouting gently across the table at the sea dweller.

"E-Eh...? O-Oh uh, yeah I'm fine." She tried to smile, but it was clear something was bugging the girl.

Before Rekera could push her for more information, though, the unexpected happened. Rin poked his head into the kitchen and ran for the table, snagging a plate of food and vanishing up to the second floor where he shut his door.

"He's back!" Rekera got lost in Rin's return and leapt from her chair to try to follow him, though she was met with his bedroom door getting slammed in her face and Rin sitting against it to try and keep it shut since there was no lock.

"Rin! Rin open up the door!" Rekera pounded, trying to push against Rin's weight to get the door open.

"No! I'm fine, go away!" Rin hissed, trying to get traction on the carpet.

"Rin, come on!" Rekera gave one last push before giving up, and sliding to the floor, pouting. "Illana and I were scared. We thought you...Got hurt or something."

There was silence for a moment before Rin sighed and moved to open the door just a crack to look at Rekera. "Sssorry. I'm fine though, promissse."

"Why'd you leave?" Rekera turned to look at him, biting her lip.

"I don't want to talk about it." Rin shifted his eyes away, almost ashamed of his actions.

"Why not?" Rekera stood and put her hands on her hips, almost glaring at Rin while he refused to look at her.

"I jussst don't, okay?" Since this was getting him no where fast Rin was quick to shut the door again, only opening it when Rekera uttered a small "Please?" at him. "You're pathetic when you beg, you know that?" He smiled slightly, trying not to laugh at the thought.

"Shut up, I am not begging!" Rekera screamed, though she didn't regret it as Rin finally started to laugh a little bit.

"Whatever you sssay." Rin walked away from his door finally, leaving it open enough that Rekera took it as an invitation and followed him inside.

A small gasp escaped her lips when she found Rin sitting next to another troll boy she'd never seen before. He looked pretty beat up between his ragged clothing and the various cuts and bruises that littered his body, but Rin didn't seem to mind as he tried to coax the boy into eating.

"Wha?" Rekera managed, staring at the boy before he looked back at her. The iris of his eyes were black like theirs, but a small bit of emerald green was starting to seep in to indicate his blood color.

"I found him wandering the ssstreetsss. I think sssomone elssse wasss keeping him, but he hasssn't sssaid a word to me ssso I don't know." Rin sighed and finally left the boy be as he began to eat a little bit of the food.

"Does Doc know?" Rekera raised an eyebrow at Rin, watching as he bit his lip nervously.

"No, and I'd rather he not until I find out more about him and where he came from." Rin looked at Rekera, almost pouting when she seemed to be deciding what to do. "Pleassse don't tell him? I don't want to put anymore ssstressssss on the kid." He looked back at the green blood, almost glad that he was too busy eating to be paying much attention to the 'argument' that was happening.

"Okay, I guess." Rekera finally relented, slumping her shoulders with a heavy sigh. "But does Doc know you're back?"

"I jussst got in a few momentsss ago. But knowing Doc, I bet he already knowsss." He shrugged.

"Eh, probably." Rekera giggled, but in the aftermath an odd silence settled in. A silence that Rin interrupted by stating an obvious fact.

"Well I'll sssee Doc later. Where'sss Illana? It'sss not like her to not be clinging all over you right about now." The sea dweller's absence had Rin concerned, she was usually right by Rekera's side at all times.

"I don't know." Rekera looked behind her into the hallway, frowning when there was no trace of the girl to be found. "I thought she followed me. She was really worried about you."

"Well um...Will you go sssee if ssshe'sss okay? I didn't mean to worry you guysss and I really want to apologize." Rin flinched slightly as Rekera's eye started to twitch, and he had almost expected her answer.

"Why don't you go yourself instead of being so bossy?" She wasn't yelling, though her voice had raised slightly.

"Becaussse I don't want to leave him alone. Besssidesss, I want to apologize to both of you, together." He looked over his shoulder at the other kid, still glad that he wasn't paying too much attention.

"Fine." Rekera left, going downstairs to try and find Illana.

The sea dweller was curled up on the couch looking almost like Rekera had the night before. Naturally this had the black blood worried, and she was quick to sit down by her sister with a worried look on her face.

"Illana, you okay?" She asked, reaching a hand out to feel Illana's forehead.

There was a slight nod from Illana, but Rekera knew better than to believe it and frowned. Before the black blood could object and go find Doc to tell him Illana was sick, however, the strange troll boy from Rin's room came bolting down the stairs and Rin was right behind him, clearly trying to stop him from getting too far.

"W-Who?" Illana bolted upright in surprise, though he sudden movement clearly did not sit right with her current sickness.

"I found him while I wasss out. Don't know anything about him, though." Since the kid had settled down in a chair across the room Rin let him be and focused on how sick Illana looked. "Hey, you okay? You don't look ssso good."

"I-I'm fine...D-Don't worry about me." Illana managed, laying back down and closing her eyes.

In the meantime Rekera had snuck off to find Doc, glad that he was right in his study where she had expected he'd be.

"Yes dear? Is something the matter?" Doc looked up from his paperwork, wondering what Rekera could want to be poking her head in on him while he was working.

"Something's wrong with Illana, I think she's sick." Rekera frowned, looking genuinely worried.

"Oh dear, she must have caught your bug from last night. Take me to her then, I'll take a look and get her to bed." Doc stood, pushing his chair in behind him and following after Rekera as the girl led him to the living room.

However, Illana was not there. Instead only the strange boy was alone sitting on the couch, and Doc noticed instantly the bruises around his ankles and wrists where he'd obviously been bound. That combined with his scars and tattered clothing spoke volumes to the nearly all knowing man but he knew he couldn't focus on two things at once.

"Where'd she go?" Rekera looked around the living room, worried that both Illana and Rin were missing.

"If she's got your bug chances are she's in the bathroom. Also, who is that?" Doc indicated the strange troll boy, almost all his focus there now.

"Ah..." Rekera pushed her glasses up, knowing she couldn't lie to Doc. "Rin's back, and he brought the kid with him."

"I see. Well, make sure he stays put and doesn't cause any trouble. I will go see to Illana." Doc walked off to the nearest bathroom to check for the girl, thankfully finding her right in the first floor bathroom with Rin.

Rin was holding her hair back while she dry heaved into the toilet, light blue tears streaming down her cheeks. Before Doc could even say anything Illana collapsed to the floor and curled up, Rin looking up at Doc with a worried face.

"Poor dear. Come on, let's get you to bed." Doc picked the small girl up and took her to her room, tucking her into bed so she could get some sleep. A night's rest had done Rekera worlds of good, and he hoped that sleeping for the day would help Illana feel better too.


	6. Chapter 6: Stemis

When Doc took Illana away Rin didn't know what else to do so he returned to the living room, but instead of entering he stood near the doorway and watched since the strange troll boy was sitting near Rekera and had started talking.

"Shee...Ookaayy?" He asked, his speech slow and forced.

"She's sick...It's my fault." Rekera looked down, almost seeming guilty.

"Siick...Hoow yyoouurr...faauult?" He seemed confused, clearly not understanding what was going on.

"I got sick first and...She got the bug from me." Rekera didn't look up as she sniffled, trying to hold back her emotions.

An awkward silence filled the room, and Rin figured it was a now or never thing so he stepped in as if he hadn't been listening the entire time. Rekera looked up at him when he came in, but that contrite expression was still on her face while she waited to see what Rin would do.

"Doc took Illana to her room, looksss like ssshe'sss done throwing up now." He said quietly, sitting down at the other end of the couch from Rekera.

"Good. I hope the two of you don't catch it." Her expression seemed to reflect further self-blame at the thought, and Rin moved closer so he could put a hand on her back to try and comfort her.

"Well we'll sssee, but for now I think we ssshould jussst keep clear until Doc sssaysss ssshe'sss better." Rin knew if it was contagious enough that it had passed from Rekera to Illana in less than a night there was a high possibility that it had also passed to both himself and the boy he'd brought home, though he danced around the issue to avoid making Rekera feel worse.

"Right..." Rekera didn't seem to brighten up any, and Rin raised an eyebrow at her.

"What'sss that for?" Her attitude wasn't making much sense, even if she was feeling like it was her fault Illana was sick. It wasn't like Rekera to let something like that get her down.

"Shee thiink...ootheer giirl siick...heer buug." The green blooded boy responded, giving Rekera a sympathetic look.

"Yeah. I was throwing up last night too." Rekera seemed to confirm this, and Rin just sighed as he moved his hand up to her shoulder to pat her gently.

"Well all the more reason to stay away then, right? I'm sure Doc will take good care of her." Doc had always taken care of them and made everything better, and Rin trusted in that now more than ever.

After that another odd silence settled in, and Rin shifted uncomfortably before looking at the odd troll who was busy staring at the floor much like Rekera was as if he had to follow what she was doing.

"Ssso uh...I sssee you got him to talk. Did he give you a name or anything?" Rin tried to change the subject and break the silence, but rather than give him an answer Rekera only shook her head. Rin let out a frustrated huff before looking at the boy. "Hey, I know you can talk. What'sss your name?"

There was no answer, only the boy looking up at Rin and tilting his head curiously almost as if he couldn't comprehend Rin's odd speech quirk. Rin growled half-angrily, knowing the boy understood just fine but not being able to fathom why he couldn't get more than a blank stare.

"Do you have a name?" Rekera said at last, looking over at the green blood hoping that he would give an answer if she was the one asking the question.

"Hee caalleed mee...Steemiss...Iis thaat aa...naamee?" He asked, seeming far more comfortable answering now that Rekera had spoken to him.

"-He-? Who is -he-?" Rekera looked over at Rin, and even though she knew Rin wouldn't have asked if he'd called the boy by any name she felt the need to ask. "He doesn't mean you, does he?"

Rin only shook his head, giving the obvious answer, but that left an even bigger inquiry looming about just who this -he- person was. But since it was obvious they wouldn't get an answer if Rin posed the question he fell silent and waited for Rekera to do it for him.

"Hmm...Well, I guess Stemis is a name." Rekera shrugged, avoiding what was on both their minds for the moment since it was clear that it made Stemis uncomfortable.

"Theen thaat...iis naamee." He gave a small smile, and the smile got bigger when Rekera returned it.

"Nice to meet you, Stemis. I'm Rekera, and the other girl is Illana." Rekera was glad things were starting to turn around just a little.

"And I'm Rinkou, but you can jussst call me Rin. Everyone elssse doesss." Rin gave a genuine smile, the first one in ages, and hoped that just because he'd said something didn't mean Stemis would stop talking.

"Niicee meet...Reekeeraa aand Riin." Stemis forced the words out, but his voice was getting slower and rougher as if he wasn't used to talking so much. In the silence Stemis looked at Rin and scooted a little closer to Rekera, leaving the girl puzzled for a moment while Rin pouted.

"I don't think he likessss me very much. Maybe sssomething to do with thisss 'he' perssson." Whoever he was, he'd clearly left Stemis traumatized and Rin didn't think it was a far stretch to assume that because of what happened he just generally didn't like anyone male.

"Maybe." Rekera was tempted to provoke Rin, but she didn't want to start an argument and left it at that.

*****Meanwhile*****

Illana whimpered as Doc put her in her bed and pulled the covers up. She was hurting, and Doc almost felt bad that he could do little more than tell her to rest.

"It's alright dear, just try to get some sleep. It'll go away in a little while." He reached out and started to stroke her hair, hoping that the motion would give her a bit more comfort.

"M-Meelo...W-Where?" Illana started to panic when she realized her turtle doll was missing, and Doc just sighed as he stood to go find the thing for her.

"Shh, get some rest. I'll go find Meelo for you." Doc left swiftly, having an idea of where her plush toy was. He found it exactly where he expected at the kitchen table where the little turtle had been left in the excitement of Rin's return. Returning to the room, Doc handed Meelo to Illana and watched as she clung to it as if the thing were her lifeboat on a sinking ship.

"M-Meelo!" Illana smiled for a moment before coughing a few times and settling down under the sheets, looking up at Doc with her huge eyes. "T-Thank you." She whispered.

"Of course dear. Now, do you think you'll be alright on your own for a little while? I need to go see to some things, but I promise I'll be back as soon as I can." Doc stood, but the moment he turned his back on the small girl she whimpered again. It was her way of saying she really didn't want to be alone, and Doc knew he couldn't just leave her when she was like that.

Doc pulled over a chair and sat down by Illana, reaching out to gently stroke her hair again as he hummed a soothing lullaby to her, hoping that it would get her to sleep. For a while the girl was just generally uncomfortable but after some time she began to yawn, curling around her doll as she began to fall asleep. Doc finished his song and was about to leave since Illana was finally sleeping when he heard her whisper something.

"I-I love you...P-Papa." The words were filled with actual love, the kind that a child truly feels for a parent when they are small. Doc only wished he could smile as he stood in the doorway and looked at her.

"I love you too, little Illana." He whispered. Then he was gone, as quietly as ever, while he hoped that Illana would remain asleep until he could sort out this business with the troll boy Rin had brought home and return to her side to watch over her.


	7. Chapter 7: Starting a Fight

With Illana fast asleep Doc figured he should check up on his other children and figure out what to do with the boy Rin had brought home. He had a sneaking suspicion that at least Rin would ask to keep him, but Doc was still debating on weather or not that would be a good idea until he got more information on where the green blood had come from.

"Illana is fine, she's sleeping now. I do advise everyone to stay away from her, however, as the bug is clearly contagious and I don't want anyone else catching it." Doc looked at the three children, taking note of the boy's want to stick near Rekera as he waited for one of them to answer.

"Well, at least she's okay." Rekera spoke up first, though the guilt on her face was still very evident.

"Indeed. Now then, what do we do about him?" With one hand Doc motioned to the green blooded troll boy, wondering where he had truly come from and what was going on.

"Um...I thought we could let him ssstay here?" Rin hissed gently, looking up at Doc with huge, begging eyes.

"Please Doc?" Rekera chimed in, also giving Doc puppy eyes.

Between the two begging him and how truly beat up, abused and lost the green blood looked it was hardly Doc's place to say no. Besides, he seemed to be fitting right in and both of them seemed to have grown an attachment to the boy.

"Fine. What's one more addition to our little family I suppose?" It was a yes for now, but Doc was going to do some serious research into where the boy had come from and take every precaution so that this whole event didn't come back to bite them later.

"Yay! Thanksss Doc!" Rin rushed forward to hug the much taller man, followed shortly by Rekera. Stemis wasn't too far behind, and Doc just leaned over to put his arms around them in a sort of semi-awkward group hug.

"Good. Now that things are settled you children go play. I have work to do." Doc ruffled Rin and Rekera's hair before standing up and leaving, intent on making some calls and seeing if he could pin down where the strange boy had come from.

Once Doc was gone Rin shrugged and headed upstairs to his own room. Stemis clearly liked Rekera better anyway, and would probably be more willing to open up and speak without Rin hovering. Even if he wouldn't show it he did care, and anything Stemis told Rekera would likely get back to Doc eventually even if Rin didn't hear about it. That would mean Stemis would get the help he needed, and that was what Rin really wanted out of the whole ordeal.

Rekera pulled out her usual video game and sat down on the couch to play, hoping that Stemis would either go do something with Rin or sit quietly and watch her. She didn't care much either way, and even though he chose to go sit by the window and look outside instead his silence didn't last very long.

"Soo...Whaat thiis...plaacee?" Stemis turned to look at Rekera, knowing that he wasn't on his home planet anymore and wondering if she would be able to answer questions he'd had for so long.

"Huh?" Rekera paused her game and looked backwards at Stemis, curious. "What do you mean?"

"Thiis...Plaaneet. Whaat iis?" His words were broken, forced and uneven but at least he was trying to communicate as best he could with her.

"Oh. Well, Doc says we're on a moon that flies around the planet of Alternia." Rekera shrugged, but she could see that at the mere mention of the planet Stemis' eyes glazed over and he turned to look out the window again, focused on what little of the bright planet he could see through the cityscape.

"Aalteerniiaa...Hoomeee..." Stemis sighed heavily, looking at Rekera for a moment with a puzzled face. "Yyoouu...trooll too...riight? Whyy noot...Aalteerniiaa?"

"Why don't we live there? Well..." Rekera looked out the window, following Stemis' line of sight to the seemingly alien sphere. "Doc says Illana and I wouldn't live long out there, 'cause of our blood and all, so I guess that's why."

"Woondeer...Whaat iit liikee? Aalteerniiaa niicee...waant...hoomee..." Stemis struggled to get the words out, hoping Rekera would understand.

"Sometimes. Why?" Rekera raised an eyebrow at Stemis, wondering what he was getting at.

Stemis, however, only gave a slight sniffle before he broke down in tears. The green liquid streamed down his face and he didn't even bother to try and look away, instead opting to hide his face in his hands as the tears stained his skin.

"Hey, don't cry." Instantly Rekera felt bad, and she put an arm around Stemis' shoulder to try and give him a little comfort as he wept.

Rin couldn't have picked a worse time to come down, and upon seeing the pair sitting on the couch in such a manner he just stared for a moment before giving a slight snicker.

"Well, aren't you two adorable?"

Rekera instantly gave Rin a threatening glare, pulling away from Stemis just in time for the green blood to have stopped crying now that Rin was around. Rin made him uncomfortable to begin with, and crying in front of someone who was clearly of a higher blood color was almost always a death sentence back on Alternia.

"What? It'sss true." Rin stuck his tongue out at the pair, smiling as Rekera crossed her arms and tried to make it seem as if she hadn't just shown an emotion other than indifference or anger.

"Whatever." Rekera rolled her eyes before reaching over for her game so she could go back to it and distract herself from Rin's stupidity.

Rin shrugged and went into the kitchen to get a bowl of chips, coming back just in time to catch Stemis sitting near her again and watching as if trying to understand what he was seeing on the screen. He contemplated asking what had put the middle blood to tears, but teasing Rekera was more fun and, he assumed, a little bit safer.

"Ssso, what happened while I wasss gone?" He sat down next to Stemis, knowing that talking to her while she was trying to play her game would irritate her to no end.

"Stuff." Rekera responded, giving a light shrug to show Rin that he wasn't going to irritate her so easily.

"Well, what kind of ssstuff?" Rin scooted a little closer, tossing a chip at Rekera and smirking as it landed on her screen before she brushed it away in frustration.

"Stuff stuff." Rekera said nothing more and went back to her game, causing Rin to frown before grabbing a pillow from the other end of the couch and throw it in her general direction.

"You're sssuch an assssss sssometimesss." He hissed, almost laughing when he got the expected reaction out of Rekera, who gasped before pausing her game and glaring at him.

"You used a bad word!" She glared, though Rin just gave her a 'so what?' look. "I could tell Doc on you." She chided, raising an eyebrow at him.

"No one likes a tattletale, Rekera." Rin stuck his tongue out at her.

"No one likes someone who swears, either!" She retorted.

"Whatever. You're alwaysss losst in that dumb game of yoursss." Rin reached forward and took the gaming system out of her hands then took off across the room. It would get her riled up, he knew, and that was fully his intention as he giggled and kept on running.


End file.
